Camille let the hot water from the shower run over her, trying to wash away the stress and confusion. The cryptic messages had taken a toll on her, and she was mentally exhausted. Each one sent her spiraling deeper into paranoia. Who could she trust? The boys? Their mom? Even herself?
After drying off, she changed into a cozy sweater and jeans, her mind still racing but her body craving some sort of normalcy. She padded downstairs, where the smell of freshly cooked food greeted her. Evelyn had made dinner, and the boys were already seated around the table.
“You okay?” Leo asked softly as she sat down next to him.
Camille gave a small nod, picking at her food. “I’m just tired of all this. I feel like I’m living in a nightmare I can’t wake up from.”
Matthew placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. “You don’t have to go through this alone, you know. We’re all in this together.”
“Yeah,” Noah added with a grin, trying to lighten the mood. “Besides, nothing’s scarier than seeing Leo without his morning coffee.”
Leo shot Noah a mock glare, and Camille managed a weak laugh. It felt good to have a moment where everything wasn’t about survival or cryptic threats.
After dinner, Evelyn suggested they all relax for a bit. “Why don’t we do something normal? Something to get our minds off everything,” she said, pulling out a stack of board games. It had been so long since they had done anything fun.
They decided on Monopoly, a classic choice, though it always brought out everyone’s competitive side.
“I’m the car!” Noah immediately claimed, grabbing the tiny metal piece.
Leo snatched the dog, and Matthew grabbed the top hat. “Camille, what about you?” Leo asked with a grin.
Camille sighed, a playful smile tugging at her lips. “I’ll be the thimble.”
The game started, and as always, Noah was quick to try and buy up as much property as possible. “I’m gonna bankrupt you all,” he announced confidently, slapping down money for Boardwalk.
“In your dreams,” Leo muttered, rolling the dice and landing on one of Noah’s properties. “Seriously? Already?”
Matthew laughed. “Looks like you’re going to owe Noah big time, bro.”
Camille was lost in the easy banter, feeling a brief moment of peace. They bickered, made trades, and fought over who was cheating.
“I swear, Noah’s hiding extra money somewhere,” Camille teased as she landed on one of his hotels.
“I don’t need to hide money,” Noah replied with a smug grin. “I’m just that good.”
“More like that annoying,” Leo grumbled, paying another hefty rent to Noah.
For the first time in what felt like ages, they were able to just be themselves. No drama, no danger—just friends playing a game and laughing at each other’s misfortune on the board.
But as the night wore on, Camille’s phone buzzed from the coffee table. She froze, her stomach dropping as she reached for it. The room went silent as she read the message aloud.
“If you want to see your dad, come to the warehouse at 1527 North End.”
Everyone looked at each other, the easygoing atmosphere evaporating in an instant. The tension was back, thick and suffocating.
“We have to go,” Camille said, her voice shaky but determined.
Noah, Leo, and Matthew exchanged worried glances. “We’ll go with you,” Leo said firmly, the playful tone from earlier gone.
Camille nodded, feeling the weight of the situation settle on her shoulders once more. Whoever was behind this twisted game was far from done with them.